Page 21 of The Bonding Games: Part 2

I only move when my brother starts grinding against the fucking air, jumping up to follow our Bonded, leaving him on the taalk to impregnate the space above him . . . or whatever the fuck he’s doing . . . not too eager to stay around to witness that.

“I-I . . . uhhh,” Alby stutters when HC stops before him. “I . . . C-can I . . . ?”

He lets out a tiny high-pitched sound as she yanks him into her forcefully, his arms quickly whipping out to wind around her.

Flushing in quiet pleasure, he hesitantly presses his burning cheek to the top of her head, entire body sinking into her. Nervously, he starts, “Will . . . will we be like this more often?” His following gulp is loud in the silence that follows, all of us keen to know the answer to that question too. “W-when your back . . . When we’re back to acting normally, I mean? Is this— Can we be like this . . . please?”

I’ve watched as Ezla’s already-tensed figure has become more and more statue-like with each of his words, and there’s an uncomfortable absence of sound for one second . . .

two . . .

three . . .

Alby pulls back slightly, anxiety spilling from him freely. “E-Ezla? Ez?”

“Give me a moment, Alby. I am not . . . experienced in these situations.” Flicking her coffee and crimson eyes over all of us, Tate finally joining us after his moment, she says with an unreadable expression on her face, “I cannot tell you what things will be like when I do not know myself. All I do know is that I will not change who I am.”

“We wouldn’t want that,” Alby rushes out, hold on her tightening. “Y-you’re perfect. I love how you are.”

“Hm.”

My lips twitch at the familiar non-response. “He’s right, Vengeance. None of us would ever want you to change. You’ve landed yourself with five men who’ll stay with you no matter what, no matter how fucking immoral you may be. Might make me fucked up, but I’m well past giving a shit.” Though from the lightning-fast flash of wicked glee in her eyes, I do wonder if it’s not the best idea to tell her things like that, because as true as my words are, I don’t exactly want to encourage a mindless massacre here.

“Preferably don’t kill any innocents if you can help it, though, Wifey.” Tiger flutters his lashes rapidly, and she stares at him, unimpressed.

“No one is innocent,” she states. Then she muses, “Except for maybe you and my shy boy.”

Alby gasps at the possessive way she referred to him while Tate grumbles, “What about the rest of us?”

A single dark brow rises. “Do you consider online stalking and a thirst for killing innocent, Tate?”

Tongue running over his top teeth, a slow grin takes over, unrepentant. “No, Havoc.”

“And me?” I ask.

“You piss me off,” she tells me simply, and Tiger snickers at my expense.

Scotty’s next, and he waits calmly for her judgment with his sturdy arms folded across his chest. I’m happy to say he’s relaxed somewhat the longer we’ve talked, no longer looking so tormented by his guilt, although I know it hasn’t truly left him.

“You cheated on me before we met,” she tells him, eyes narrowing.

His lips roll in, and those mismatched eyes slit even further as Ezla watches him attempt to keep his amusement in. “I apologise, Love. I didn’t mean to share what belongs to you, but I wasn’t actually aware at that point in time.”

Pulling back from Alby, she turns fully to Scotty. “Do you find your betrayal funny?”

Blue eyes—eye—widening, he raises his hands up as he quickly tries to placate her. “Of course not, Ezla. But what about Cooper?”

I huff at him as our girl slides her murderous look my way. “Seriously?”

His wince is apologetic as Vengeance says darkly, “You are right.” She appears to consider, running through something in her mind, before she tells us, “I will punish you both, in due time. You both have a few things I am eager to whip you for.”

My jaw drops while Scotty coughs into his fist. Alby chokes on his spit.

“Oooooh, I wanna be whipped, Ezzy! Do me!”

“In due time,” she repeats, and he lets out an excited, “Whoop!” But that energy crashes down a heartbeat later as Ezla continues, “For now, I must go. I have already stayed too long.”

All our faces fall.